The Open Invention Network is making good on its pledge to try to overturn the Linux-related patents that were contained in Microsoft's recently settled litigation against TomTomNV.OIN announced today that three patents in the lawsuit -- including those the deal with the creation of long and short file names -- have been named for prior art review on the Post-Issue Peer-to-Patent website linked to the Linux Defenders portal.

It looks like patent reform has a good chance of getting through Congress this year, with a reform bill introduced in both houses. According to Public Knowledge, the bill would replace the first-to-invent system with first-to-file, allow for review of patent grants after the grant has been made, provide for third parties to file patent-defeating documents and promulgate new rules on where suits can be instituted.

Yesterday, my post EXCLUSIVE: New Apple Patent art I show you here may point to iPod with camera wentinto specific details about how the functionality described in the patent application seemed to point to an IPod-like device with camera functionality.Although I did note that other sites had this story first, I've decided to go back and review exactly how they treated this issue.

I'm in the process of writing up my review of an interview with Research in Motion (RIM) president and co-CEO Mike Lazaridis. It appears as though RIM, maker of the infamous BlackBerry wireless mobile messaging devices, is near the end of its legal rope in a patent infringement case that was filed against it by NTP.

IBM has called for tighter regulation of patents and a review of intellectual property ownership issues in collaborative software development. Big Blue -- one of the largest patent-holders in the United States -- detailed its position at a media event in New York last week.

Storage Computer said Wednesday that the United Kingdom High Court in London ruled that two of the company's European patents were invalid in the United Kingdom and that Hitachi Data Systems had not infringed on the patents. Storage Computer, which provides data storage delivery systems, said it will review the court decision to determine whether there is a basis to appeal the patent action litigation against Hitachi, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd.

The World Wide Web Consortium has published a new proposal for handling patent issues in its standards. The W3C develops industry standards for Web technologies, working with software developers and others. It first broached the idea last year of allowing patented technologies to be used in standards. The new proposal would require W3C members to disclose patents that may be applicable to any standard. If a disclosed patent is determined to be essential but is not available to standard users on a royalty-free basis, a Patent Advisory Group will be created to resolve the conflict. If the working group is unable to come up with any other solution, it may recommend using the patent and allowing the patent holder to charge royalties on a RAND (reasonable and nondiscriminatory) basis. The RAND requirement would be subject to advisory committee review and the approval of the W3C director. The W3C is accepting comment on the policy now; a final draft is expected to be ready in the next few months. --Margaret Kane, Special to ZDNet News